Steps to Take in Finding a Lost Dog

Losing your beloved dog can be traumatizing for children, but teenagers and adults may also be emotionally affected by a missing pet. Dogs often get loose by dashing out an open door or by breaking a worn leash or collar. Prepare yourself and your dog for this possible situation by attaching an updated license and immunization tags to the dog's collar, which helps identify a found dog and find a missing one.

Things You'll Need

  • Leash
  • Collar
  • Squeaky dog toy
  • Car
  • Telephone
  • Paper
  • Computer
  • Printer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Gather supplies such as a leash, collar, and your dog's favorite squeaky toy. Walk the sidewalks near your home while calling out for the dog by name and squeaking the toy. Look in yards, parks, and other places a friendly dog may look for attention. Look under porches, beneath cars, and behind garages to find a timid dog.

    • 2

      Drive around your neighborhood in a 5-mile radius. Encourage someone to ride with you, and drive slowly while your passenger calls the dog from open car windows. Squeeze the squeaky toy, because dogs can hear familiar sounds from a long distance. Most likely, the dog will find its way back to your home within a few hours, but if not, don't panic, and continue the search.

    • 3

      Telephone your neighbors and nearby friends to see if anyone has seen the dog running loose. Instruct them to notify you immediately if they see your pet. Give them your cell phone number, if applicable, and your home phone number.

    • 4

      Telephone your veterinarian's office to report the dog missing and ask if anyone has recovered the dog. Often a rabies vaccination collar tag has the vet's contact information on it, and the finder may have taken that route to find you.

    • 5

      Contact your town's animal control officer, who is usually contacted when an animal shelter or rescue has found a pet. The police department or township office may assist with contacting the officer or may have heard from the officer.

    • 6

      Create a "lost dog" flyer. Type "Lost Dog" on the top of the flyer in very large print to be seen by passers-by. Paste a large photo of your dog on the page with a description of your dog, its personality, and where it was last seen. Warn others about any negative temperament qualities of the dog -- if it bites, is standoffish, or gets irritated when approached by strangers.

    • 7

      Print color copies of the flyer so that passers-by may see the coloring, markings, and general appearance of the dog. Post the flyers on telephone poles and in grocery stores, laundromats, and other nearby facilities. In school or park areas, post the flyers at a child's eye level.

    • 8

      Post a newspaper ad in your local paper describing the dog briefly, and remember to include your first name and phone number. Enter the information on the Internet, and search online for any found dogs in your area. Visit lost dog forums to find or release information about your dog.

    • 9

      Wait patiently while going about your normal, daily routines. It's important for you to keep your efforts focused, but not to overreact and allow the loss of your pet to consume your every thought. It's not healthy for you or your family. Most likely, someone will contact you after finding the dog.

    • 10

      After finding your pet, thank all the people and organizations who helped you, and notify all contacted people that your pet has been returned so they may end their search efforts. Remove all flyers from poles and businesses.